The place for people crazy about analysis of international judo competitions, players & techniques.

Friday, June 16, 2017

Cancun Grand Prix 2017, Mexico PREVIEW

Cancun hosts the penultimate Grand Prix before the 2017 Suzuki World Judo Championships

The first edition of the Cancun Grand Prix is the most
vital stop on the IJF World Judo Tour thus far in 2017 as it is the
penultimate Grand Prix before August’s 2017 Suzuki World Judo
Championships in Budapest, Hungary.

Mexico, which successfully hosted the World Masters
event in Guadalajara last year, hosts its first ever Grand Prix in the
ultimate tourist destination from Friday 16 – Sunday 18 Junew which is a
gateway to Worlds selection and judo joy on the elite stage.

As the IJF World Judo Tour heats up on the road to
Budapest, the sandy beaches, sparkling blue ocean and balmy temperatures
of the Cancun in the South East of Mexico, are the picturesque backdrop
for the three-day Grand Prix which has attracted Olympic and world
medallists.

Olympic and world medallists path to Budapest runs via Cancun

Rio 2016 Olympic silver medallist Odette GIUFFRIDA
(ITA) is the one and only representative for her country while double
Olympic bronze medallist Mayra AGUIAR (BRA) makes a timely return to
action. World bronze medallist Victor PENALBER (BRA), heavyweight world
number two David MOURA and London 2012 Olympic silver medallist UNGVARI
Miklos (HUN) are also among the stars present in Cancun.

Mr. Armen BAGDASAROV, IJF Sports Director, revealed at the draw that 188 judoka would compete at #JudoCancun2017 from 36 nations (111 men and 77 women).

Mr. Marius VIZER, IJF President, said: “Dear Manuel,
dear colleagues, friends, ladies and gentlemen, it is a real pleasure to
come for the first time in Cancun for a Grand Prix, I want to thank the
government from Cancun, the Ministry of Sport, the Mexican Judo
Federation and everyone here supporting the Grand Prix.

“It is a great pleasure and an honour to announce that
judo’s mixed team event will be in Tokyo 2020 Olympics and after as well
in next Olympics.

“I want to thank you for your efforts and dedication, I
congratulate all coaches, athletes, the IJF team and Executive
Committee and on behalf of the IJF I want to wish you a successful
tournament. It is very good for Pan American judo to organise a Grand
Prix in this region and I wish you all a lot of luck."

IJF Ambassador Mr. Antonio Castro SOTO DEL VALLE (above) was among the honoured guests in attendance at the draw on Thursday.

“Thank you for your invite, I am very happy to stay
here, we are sure this event will be a success with lots of support from
the IJF and judoka from all regions," he said. "I thank you for coming
and we hope you enjoy this Grand Prix, hopefully it will be the first of
many Grand Prix here in Cancun.”

Mr. Jesus Antonio LOPEZ PINZON, President of the
Committee of Sport for Quintana Roo (COJUDEQ), said: “Good morning all,
we would like to thank the IJF and Mr. Marius VIZER as it is very
important for our country and our city of Cancun to host this really
important event. We want to thank the Mexican Judo Federation and want
to say a message to all cities and countries around the world that is a
really good place. Thank you all for coming here and thank you for
making us the hosts.”

Mr. Manuel LARRANAGA, Pan American Confederation and
Mexican Judo Federation President, said: “Good morning everyone, on
behalf of Mexican Judo Federation I would like to welcome you all here
to Cancun. We would like to thank Mr. Marius VIZER for all of his
support towards our country. We would also like to thank the governor of
the city for letting us be the host city of this event.

“We would also like to thank Mr. PINZON for giving us
all the facilities and tools to be the host city of this event. Thank
you to our sponsors and the official hotels for supporting us. Welcome
all to Cancun, this city of Paradise, and finally we thank Mr. VIZER
once again for supporting us to stage this Grand Prix.”

From L-R: IJF Hall of
Famer Driulis González MORALES, triple world champion and four-time
Olympic medallist, who is now a Cuban national team coach, alongside
former teammate and three-time Olympic bronze medallist Amarilis SAVON,
who was recently appointed as coach of Bahamas

While the draw was underway and throughout Thursday,
the IJF staged an Instagram Takeover with London 2012 Olympic bronze
medallist and former world silver medallist Marti MALLOY (USA) who
competes on Friday.

Before the action in Mexico begins on Friday, the IJF
President Mr. Marius VIZER, will host his latest Twitter Question and
Answer session from 9am local time (3pm UK) live from Cancun. The IJF
President will be ready to answer questions from all media outlets,
judoka, fans, coaches and all corners of the world.

Any subject is open for discussion and questions can already be posted in advance using the hashtag #AskVizer

Use #JudoCancun2017 to join in with the social media discussion

PREVIEW Women

-48kg

London 2012 Olympic bronze medallist CSERNOVICZKI Eva
(HUN) won her only Worlds medal to date back in 2011 in Paris. The
30-year-old – a two-time European champion and three-time Grand Prix
winner – has her best chance of Worlds success this summer as judo’s
annual marquee event arrives in Budapest, Hungary for the first time.
CSERNOVICZKI starts as the top seed in Cancun and a win would be an
ideal platform to launch her title bid in August. Pan American
Championships silver medallist Edna CARRILLO (MEX) is one of her
country’s most talented judoka and could win her first ever IJF medal
with the home field advantage while former Grand Slam silver medallist
Gabriela CHIBANA (BRA) will be among the leading contenders.

-52kg Rio 2016 Olympic silver
medallist Odette GIUFFRIDA (ITA) will compete on the IJF World Judo Tour
this weekend for the first time since losing out to Majlinda KELMENDI
(KOS) for the -52kg gold medal in Brazil. The 22-year-old, who turned
down a spot on Italy’s Dancing With Stars TV series to compete at the
European Championships, finished fifth at the continental championships
and will start as the favourite in Mexico as she looks to move one step
closer to winning her first Worlds medal. Abu Dhabi Grand Slam silver
medallist Angelica DELGADO (USA) will be the number one seed but will
have her work cut out to turn that into first place with London 2012
Olympic champion Sarah MENEZES (BRA) – a long-time -48kg standout – now
stepping up her pursuit of top honours at -52kg.

-57kg

Ekaterinburg Grand Slam winner Miryam ROPER (PAN) wrote
her name into the history books as she made sure that Panama’s first
ever IJF World Judo Tour medal was gold with a stunning display last
time out in Russia. ROPER, 34, started over in April with zero world
ranking points when she wore a Panama judogi for the first time and
finished fifth at the Pan American Championships and is already up to
12th in the world. The former world bronze medallist now has that goal
for her father’s country and arrives in Cancun as the number one seed.
Long-time rival Marti MALLOY (USA) – who beat ROPER for bronze at the
continental championships – last graced an IJF podium in Budapest last
year with bronze at Hungary’s Grand Prix and could send the American
flag to the rafters with victory in Mexico.

-63kg

Baku Grand Slam silver medallist Andreja LESKI (SLO) is
a new judoka to follow at -63kg and the 20-year-old could break into
the world’s top 10 with a strong outing in Mexico. Double Pan American
Championships bronze medallist Hannah MARTIN (USA) has hit the medal
trail in 2017 while Brazil continue to stick by their veterans such as
Ketleyn QUADROS (BRA) who will pose a considerable medal threat on day
two.

-70kg

Venezuela’s first world number one Elvismar RODRIGUEZ
(IJF) is the number one seed at an IJF World Judo Tour for the first
time this weekend. The 20-year-old has progressed far quicker than
anyone expected with a flurry of Grand Slam and Grand Prix medals over
the last year to already became her country’s most successful judoka in
the modern era of the IJF circuit. Rio 2016 Olympic bronze medallist
Sally CONWAY (GBR) took silver on her post-Olympic return to competition
at the Bucharest European Open two weeks ago and will certainly be in
the medal shake-up in Mexico. Former world number one Kelita ZUPANCIC
(CAN) took silver at the Paris Grand Slam in February and has won four
medals on the trot this year going into the first Cancun Grand Prix.

-78kg

Double Olympic bronze medallist Mayra AGUIAR (BRA)
makes her eagerly-awaited return to action on Sunday and will hope for a
winning return at the penultimate Grand Prix before the Worlds. Former
world champion AGUIAR, 25, won bronze in Brazil at the Olympics last
time out and has slipped down the rankings due to her inactivity to 19th
place in the world. Since her nemesis Kayla HARRISON (USA) has retired,
AGUIAR is expected to rule the category for years to come and will get
her Worlds preparations back on track with gold in Cancun. Double
European bronze medallist Natalie POWELL (GBR) is the top seed in the
-78kg category. The world number six took silver at the Ekaterinburg
Grand Slam in May and should prove to be the toughest challenge for
AGUIAR. Pan American Championships silver medallist Kaliema ANTOMARCHI
(CUB) could make a medal push and is at her best when competing in the
Americas.

+78kg The +78kg category looks
wide open with Brazil, USA, Mexico, Croatia, Great Britain and Slovenia
all targeting top spot. Pan American Championships bronze medallist Nina
CUTRO-KELLY (USA) is the number one seed after a strong run in Pan
American events while all eyes will be on Rio 2016 Olympic bronze
medallist Anamari VELENSEK (SLO) who makes her +78kg debut on her first
competition since the Olympics. Lima Pan American Open winner Rochele
NUNES (BRA) could add to her IJF World Judo Tour medal count on the
final day in Mexico as one of the most experienced judoka in the
category.

Men

-60kg

European Championships bronze medallist Francisco
GARRIGOS (ESP) will be the number one seed in the men’s lightest weight
category on day one. The 22-year-old Spaniard is yet to win a Grand Prix
but that could be amended on Friday if the youngster can see off judoka
such as three-time Grand Prix bronze medallist Phelipe PELIM (BRA),
former European Championships bronze medallist Ashley MCKENZIE (GBR) and
Pan American Championships bronze medallist Adonis DIAZ (USA).

-66kg

Baku Grand Slam winner Tal FLICKER (ISR) has four Grand
Prix bronze medals to his name and could win a new colour medal at this
level in Mexico. World number four FLICKER is a consistent medal
challenger and will hope that an impressive performance in Cancun can
propel him towards mounting a medal tilt at August’s World
Championships. Antalya Grand Prix bronze medallist Baruch SHMAILOV (ISR)
could be his teammate’s most difficult assignment while Camberley Judo
Club’s Nathon BURNS represents Ireland for the first time as he starts a
new chapter in his career which could culminate with an appearance at
the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

-73kg

Paris Grand Slam bronze medallist Tohar BUTBUL (ISR)
burst onto the scene in France this year and followed up with bronze at
the Antalya Grand Prix and a fifth-place at the European Championships.
The 23-year-old is going into his second World Championships in August
and will be a name under the radar who could be a potential spoiler to
the favourites. BUTBUL will be joined in action by Ekaterinburg Grand
Slam silver medallist Marcelo CONTINI (BRA), London 2012 Olympic silver
medallist UNGVARI Miklos (HUN) and Qingdao Grand Prix silver medallist
Nick DELPOPOLO (USA) who has settled back into the -73kg category.

-81kg

Ekaterinburg Grand Slam silver medallist UNGVARI Attila
(HUN) is the number one seed in the -81kg category ahead of world
bronze medallist Victor PENALBER (BRA). Tbilisi Grand Prix winner
PENALBER only managed a seventh-place finish in Ekaterinburg and will be
keen to show improvements since then and win his fourth Grand Prix
title. Russian Grand Slam bronze medallist Etienne BRIAND (CAN) enjoyed
the best result of his career in Ekaterinburg and jumps straight back
into action hoping for more of the same as the world number 15 aims to
break into the top 10 at -81kg for the first time.

-90kg

Former Tbilisi Grand Prix bronze medallist Nikoloz
SHERAZADISHVILI (ESP) leads the -90kg category into action on Sunday.
The former Junior European Championships silver medallist is still
coming to terms with life in the senior ranks on the world stage and has
time on his side at 21 years of age. The Tbilisi-born judoka will be
chasing his second Grand Prix medal from the top seed position with
Miami Grand Prix bronze medallist Colton BROWN (USA), Abu Dhabi Grand
Slam bronze medallist Nemanja MAJDOV (SRB) and Pan American
Championships winner Ivan Felipe SILVA MORALES (CUB) all leading
contenders for gold.

-100kg

Former world silver medallist Jose ARMENTEROS (CUB) won
the Pan American Championships in April but has to go back to February
2016 for his last IJF medal when he finished second at the Dusseldorf
Grand Prix. The 24-year-old, who finished seventh at the Dusseldorf
Grand Prix this year, starts as the number one seed in Cancun as the
highest ranked judoka in the field (world number 10). Abu Dhabi Grand
Slam silver medallist Luciano CORREA (BRA) gets for the nod for Brazil
at 34 years of age while British duo Benjamin FLETCHER (GBR) and Philip
AWITI-ALCARAZ (GBR) are keen to stake their claim for selection to the
World Championships.

+100kg

Ekaterinburg Grand Slam winner David MOURA (BRA) moved
up to second place in the world with his victory in Russia and could
make it two wins from two as the early front-runner in the heavyweight
category in Mexico. MOURA is being tipped to win strike Grand Prix gold
for the first time on Sunday before turning his attention to this year’s
World Championships and his best ever campaign at judo’s annual
showpiece. Pan American Championships winner Alex GARCIA MENDOZA (CUB)
finished fifth at the Rio 2016 Olympics but has never won an IJF medal
outside of Cuba and has the opening to achieve that on the last day of
action in Cancun.

COMPETITION PROGRAMME

Friday

10:00 Preliminaries on two mats 17:00 Final block on one mat

Women: -48kg, -52kg, -57kg Men: -60kg, -66kg

Saturday

10:00 Preliminaries on two mats 16:00 Opening ceremony 17:00 Final block on one mat